


Sure Signs Of Spring On The Enterprise

by StellarLibraryLady



Series: Star Trek The Gentle Seasons Series [53]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Bridge - Freeform, Crew as Family, Devious McCoy, Enterprise, Friendship, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Humor, M/M, McSpirk - Freeform, Song Parody, Spring, Spring Fever, Spring Tonic, Suggestive Themes, crew of the starship enterprise - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:22:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22745485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellarLibraryLady/pseuds/StellarLibraryLady
Summary: Leonard McCoy makes a puzzling appearance on the Bridge of the Enterprise.  Is he celebrating Spring?  Or has his apprehensions about space finally gotten to him, because he's acting mighty peculiar.
Relationships: James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Spock
Series: Star Trek The Gentle Seasons Series [53]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/695088
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Sure Signs Of Spring On The Enterprise

The door to the turbo lift opened and Leonard McCoy came dancing out onto the Bridge of the Enterprise. He was singing a parody of a song classic and doing little advancing steps, then retreating, then whirling, then starting the whole routine over again. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared. McCoy seemed quite intent on what he was doing and seemingly not paying anyone any attention as he whirled and twirled around and around, singing that same bouncy ditty, the words of which didn't quite sound right. This version was peppier than the original.

“When the red, red robin  
Comes a bebop, a boppin’ along.”

“I don’t believe that’s quite the words, Bones,” Kirk muttered as he watched over his shoulder, half-turned in his chair, a tolerant yet bemused look on his handsome face.

"Did a little work on the lyrics and a whole lot on the rhythm. Speeded that puppy up so it gives the hearer the urge to dance," McCoy explained as he concentrated on his footwork. "The spirit moved me to put that newly arrived robin in hyperdrive. After all, he's been resting on his laurels down South all winter. It's time to get cracking on that nest building and egg laying. Can't do those on a sedate church hymn. No, sirree!" He whirled suddenly and danced away, lost again in his own special world.

A grin split Kirk's face and his eyes sparkled. McCoy was up to something besides announcing the approach of Spring or even trying to qualify for a Section 8. He'd not shown any other signs of a mental breakdown lately, so something else was afoot. Kirk decided to let McCoy play his hand. The least he could do was make an ass of himself (which he was already doing). And if he really had experienced a hiccup in the brain department and was plotting to take over the Bridge, Mr. Spock could take him out quite efficiently with his Vulcan Nerve Pinch. The worst downside to that would be McCoy's griping about a sore neck for a few days. But at least he would be silenced about that robin with a jazzed up song and dance routine.

In the meantime, McCoy still had the undivided attention of the Bridge crew.

Spock and Uhura had looked up from their controls and were observing McCoy, each in his own way: Uhura startled and Spock quietly observing. But they had the good grace not to be too open with their reactions.

Not so for Sulu and Chekov. Turned around from their work stations, they were openly grinning at McCoy's impromptu performance. The Enterprise could be headed for a collision with an asteroid, but those two guys wouldn't have known anything about it until they'd heard a thud. Their eyes were glued on McCoy. They always loved it when a bit of mischief was afoot, especially when their shift on this dull escort mission was particularly boring. They hoped more craziness would follow, and they were not disappointed because the turbo lift door slid open again.

This time Christine Chapel slithered out, more or less to the rhythm of McCoy’s song spoof. She wore a wreath of artificial flowers swirled around the top of her head. With a huge smile for all, she happily slipped around the Bridge as she distributed little packets to everybody.

“You seem to be out of uniform, Nurse,” Kirk prompted as he accepted her packet.

“On the contrary, Captain,” McCoy interceded. “You will find that Nurse Chapel is fully attired. She simply has added to her costume.”

“Well, the addition to her costume is not regulation,” Kirk pointed out as he tried not to chuckle. “But those flowers in her hair do brighten up the Bridge.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Chapel said, blushing.

Kirk looked down at the packet he’d been given. It was about the size of a flower seed packet, especially since flowers were stenciled on it. A thoughtful gift, but what would he do with flower seeds in space? “What’s this? Something else not regulation?”

“A spring tonic,” McCoy explained. “After a long winter, our pioneer forefathers felt that they needed to thin their blood to prepare them for the coming warmer weather and to pep themselves up in general. So they ingested concoctions of emerging plants and herbal standbys. These packets contain powders that can be mixed with liquids so we can all experience a new get-up-and-go. We’ll be so full of pep that we won’t be able to stand ourselves.” He just barely restrained himself from dancing on the balls of his feet, but he was in his heart and his mind.

“Bones, may I remind you that we are inside a temperature controlled starship? And have been for months? We will not experience a change in the seasons. It was nice of you to think of us,” he said as he tried to hand back the packet. “But we really do not need anything like this. My blood does not need to be thinned. It’s fine just the way that it is.”

“You might think that, but our genetic memories remember seasonal shifts, especially the one from winter into spring. Unless your people hailed from the Equator on Terran, all of our ancestors had a seasonal shift in their histories. It’s in our genes and DNA.”

“Unless you’re Mr. Spock,” Kirk pointed out.

“Oh, well, he doesn’t count in anything,” McCoy muttered.

Spock looked abashed and turned back toward his scanner, but not before Kirk and McCoy both saw frowns of pain on his face. He had been enthralled with the packet until McCoy had made his last comment, then Spock had set the packet aside as if he wanted nothing further to do with it.

Kirk gave McCoy “the look.” McCoy sighed. He knew he had some backtracking to do. He hadn't meant to hurt Spock.

“I meant that Spring tonics are proven boosts to Earthlings, Mr. Spock,” McCoy quickly amended. “Maybe you can help us to learn if they can help Vulcans any,” he suggested, trying to win over the Vulcan. “What’s inside the packet can’t hurt you,” he added feebly. “It’s just a mixture of early season plants and herbs with a hearty shot of vitamins and minerals added. I really think you ought to give it a try. A wide variety of nutrients is recommended for anyone’s health.”

Spock perked up. “I know. And I would be most happy to participate in your experiment, Doctor. I will keep close records of my metabolism and bodily temperature both morning and evening.”

McCoy felt relieved. “Good. Good. That would be most helpful.” He hadn’t meant for such meticulous records to be kept, but McCoy knew that it was important for Spock to do so. And like Spock taking the tonic, his record keeping wouldn’t hurt anything.

McCoy happened to glance at Kirk who was giving McCoy a warm smile of approval. McCoy felt the warmth spreading over him and knew that he’d just received another tonic that was as important as the one that Chapel was distributing. They were all reinforcing each other with positive vibrations, and McCoy knew that kind of medicine didn’t come from a bottle or even a Spring meadowland.

It came from the heart.

Then McCoy went and ruined it.

“While I am on the Bridge, I wish to remind everyone of something,” McCoy announced as he turned to make certain that all eyes were on him.

“This must be a momentous occasion,” Kirk said with a tolerant look on his face.

“I don’t know how momentous it is, but it’s something that most people seem to have trouble remembering. Nobody has trouble remembering upcoming shore leave, but this other thing seems to be universally ignored on this starship. That’s right,” he said, talking through the groans of those who had figured it out. “It’s time for physicals. And I don’t want anyone saying that they’d never been notified. You’ll surely remember this announcement. And if not, next time I’ll get Lt. Uhura out of here and show up in my birthday suit. And to reinforce the message, I’ll sit in everyone’s lap. And squirm around. A lot. And if anyone dares says that he doesn’t remember that occasion, I’ll be justified in saying that he’s a so-and-so liar!” he declared with his eyes flashing over all concerned.

“No need to blaze your eyes at us, Bones,” Kirk said. “We’ll gladly show up for physicals.” Then he muttered, as if to himself, “It certainly sounds like the lesser of two evils.”

“Drastic times call for drastic measures,” McCoy muttered back. Then he rubbed his hands together with enthusiasm and a bright smile. “Well, Lt. Chapel and I must be on our way. I must say that the Bridge crew has been more than cooperative. Mr. Scott threatened to have us banned from Engineering. When we left, his Scottish burr was so thick that we could barely understand him. But he’ll cooperate. I’m quite certain that he doesn’t want my naked butt squirming around on his lap, either.” 

With a cheery wave, he and Chapel were swallowed up by the turbo lift door. After that, the Bridge seemed too quiet.

“Dr. McCoy certainly seems to be experiencing Spring fever,” Kirk said to cover the quiet.

“Yes, Captain,” Spock remarked, picking up the thread of conversation. “He was under the influence of something unique, to be sure. At least he was happy and not quarrelsome. All of which was quite refreshing.”

“Yes, it was, wasn’t it?” Kirk agreed with a grin. “The thought of Spring occurring somewhere must have had an effect on him.”

“Hopefully, it will continue to do so.”

“It should. After all, the sap is rising in the trees.”

Spock haughtily raised an eyebrow. “I daresay that it is rising in more than the trees, Captain.”

Luckily, Kirk got his head turned away quickly enough before Spock saw the merriment dancing in Kirk’s eyes.

How could Kirk get bored with this bunch around?

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing of Star Trek, its characters, and/or its story lines.


End file.
